Red Beans & Rice (Arroz Con Habijualas)
Submitted by Pat
Arroz con habichuelas, Puerto Rican red beans and rice with cumin, garlic, vinegar, and a touch of raw sugar. Soaked dried beans simmered until creamy, served over fluffy white rice.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
9 hrsArroz con habichuelas is a Puerto Rican staple, and this version cooks dried red beans from scratch with cumin, garlic, onion, white vinegar, and a spoonful of raw sugar. Not kidney beans. Red beans are smaller, creamier, and they break down into a thick, starchy pot liquor that coats the rice beautifully.
The beans soak overnight, then simmer for about an hour with everything in the pot together. The vinegar and sugar balance each other out, adding a subtle sweet-sour depth that keeps the beans from tasting flat. As the water absorbs, the beans soften into a thick, saucy consistency that’s meant to be ladled right over a mound of white rice.
Serve this the traditional way: sliced avocado on the side, fried plantain chips, and cornbread.
Kitchen Tips
- Soak the beans for at least 8 hours. Skipping this step doubles the cook time and leads to uneven texture.
- Stir every 10 minutes during simmering. Red beans stick to the bottom of the pot as the liquid reduces.
- The beans should be thick and saucy, not soupy. If there’s too much liquid at the end, cook uncovered for the last 10 minutes to thicken.
- Let the rice rest covered for 10 minutes after cooking. This final steam makes the grains fluffy and separate.
Variations
- Smoky version: Add a smoked ham hock or diced smoked turkey to the beans for a meatier pot.
- Sofrito base: Saute a tablespoon of sofrito (garlic, peppers, cilantro, tomato) in oil before adding the beans and water.
- Quick method: Use canned red beans (drained and rinsed), reduce the water, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
NOTE: red beans are not the same as kidney beans- they are smaller.
Soak the beans in the water overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain the soaking water.
Put the beans and all the rest of the ingredients into a large cooking pot.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to moderate-low heat and cook for about 1 hour, until most of the water is absorbed.
Add more water if you need to, and stir the beans every 10 minutes or so.
When the beans have ½ hour to go, make the rice.
Put the rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover.
Simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let sit, with cover on, about 10 minutes.
To serve, serve the beans over the rice.
Serve with sliced avocado (aguacate), fried plaintain chips (platanos fritos), and cornbread (served fried like hush-puppies).
For dessert serve fruit such as papaya with coconut, and expresso coffee.
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